American Journal of Intelligent Systems 2017, 7(3): 100-103

DOI: 10.5923/j.ajis.20170703.13

Health Monitoring using RFID

Gokuldas Pai*, Jenifer Maria D'souza, Jevita Tina D'souza, Sahana R. Acharya, Ms Chaitra

Department of Computer Science Engineering, St. Joseph Engineering College, Vamanjoor, India

Abstract The RFID card is used to create secure access to the patient's personal data and medical records. The health
monitoring using RFID project mainly aims at building a better means of storing and retrieving data. This project uses the
hardware kit to get the patient id. The hardware kit will send the patient id to the serial port of the system. The patient ID can
be accessed by the respective doctor by scanning the RFID card, after logging into doctor's account. The doctor can view and
update patient's medical records and prescriptions. The patient can login into his account and he can perform functionalities
that is view his previous medical reports and prescriptions. The admin registers doctors and patients and assigns unique
doctor id and patient id along with password to the respective doctors and patients. Certain records, like medical records
requires high privacy. Using this technology, all medical information is stored and retrieved online at any given point of time.
It is easy to update, adapt and grow. Trying to identify an unconscious patient or patient who is unable to communicate can
lead to delays in treatment. With this system emergency departments improve efficiency while enhancing the level of patient
care.
Keywords RFID card, RFID reader, Electronic Health Record

technologies in environments where technologies which

1. Introduction
In the current digital era, technology is ruling mankind. A
little contribution of one, will take world to a higher level of
living which makes them afford almost everything at ease.
The world is at its extremes in upgrading itself to present
technologies and innovations. To provide a better medical
care to all categories of people, medical field is also in its
path towards up gradation. An online medical service would
enable people to the available quick, better, safe and secured
medical treatment. The services helps doctors and
receptionists to record day-to-day services provided to the
people which would be stored for many years, that in turn
helps people in cases of emergency.
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is a
communication technology which allows for defining some
unique characteristics of an object or a living being, usually
its identification information, by relating it to a numeric
serial number within a tag, and ensures that this number is
conveyed by using radio waves. RFID provides a
communication infrastructure at the radio frequencies
between a special tag and reader device that can detect the
tag, and allows for establishing communication between
devices within the system without any physical contact, or
even without seeing each other. In this regard,
communication comfort can be provided with RFID
* Corresponding author:
gokulpai123@gmail.com (Gokuldas Pai)
Published online at http://journal.sapub.org/ajis
Copyright © 2017 Scientific & Academic Publishing. All Rights Reserved
require that the devices must exactly see each other, like the
case in barcode systems, cannot be used.
There are different applications of using RFID
technologies in health industry. When the significance of
human health is considered, it is necessary that information
is transferred in a correct and fast manner to rapidly perform
the first aid to the patient. By using RFID technologies as
integrated with patient information systems, it will easily be
possible to identify patients with the RFID card that they
carry and to rapidly process the previously recorded
information about that patient. Based on this reasonable
motivation, an RFID-supported patient monitoring system is
designed. The theme comprises of a website that is designed
for hospital database for the welfare of patients.
2. Background
The advancements of science and technology in the field
of healthcare has improved the quality of people's life. Prior
to the adoption of RFID technology in the field of healthcare,
barcode technology was used. A barcode is a visual
representation of data that is scanned and interpreted for
information. Barcode scanners needed a direct line of sight to
the barcode, barcodes had less security than RFID and were
more easily damaged. These limitations were overcome by
RFID technology. The RFID tags can be read from greater
distance than barcodes. RFID tags don't need to be
positioned in a line of sight with scanner, RFID tags can be
read faster than barcodes and contain high levels of security.
The RFID card is used to store all the details of the patient as
 American Journal of Intelligent Systems 2017, 7(3): 100-103
well as to retrieve the details of the patient and doctor by
scanning the card using the RFID reader. The RFID card is
of great importance in the field of healthcare [2]. The
patients need not carry the files of their previous medical
records and prescriptions to the hospital. All the details of the
patient such as health record, prescription are stored in the
RFID card which can retrieved by the doctor.
3. Objectives
The proposal in this dissertation focuses on the main
objectives as mentioned below:
• To reduce the carrying load of the treatment details and
the records.
• To develop a centralized and distributed server and
database where the information is shared between
different servers
• To provide assistance to patients at home when there is
no one beside them.
• To also intimate the relative of the patient and the
nearest hospital so that they are there when needed.
4. Terminologies
4.1. RFID Tag
The tags are transponders that have an identifier of the
object with which it is associated. The tags typically consist
Figure 1. Architectural Diagram
101
of an antenna and an electronic microchip. The antenna is
responsible for making communication between the tag and
the reader. There are two main energy classifications of a tag.
They can be passive, obtaining energy through the magnetic
field generated by readers through antennas, or they can be
active, with a battery that provides the energy required to
perform processing and modulation of the signal.
4.2. RFID Reader
An RFID Reader can read through most anything with the
exception of conductive materials like water and metal, but
with modifications and positioning, even these can be
overcome. The RFID Reader emits a low-power radio wave
field which is used to power up the tag so as to pass on any
information that is contained on the chip. In addition, readers
can be fitted with an additional interface that converts the
radio waves returned from the tag into a form that can then be
passed on to another system, like a computer or any
programmable logic controller.
5. Proposed System
Software design of the system mainly consists of the
patient information system. Once the card information is
obtained by RFID communication [4-6], they can be
processed in the information system in the application. The
architectural diagram is shown in Figure 1.
102 Gokuldas Pai et al.: Health Monitoring using RFID

6. Methodology and Framework
6.1. Admin Activities
This module is used to add doctor, hospital and patient
details. It is also used to register for doctor and patient. The
admin also includes the authorization to delete the patient,
doctor and the hospital details.
Only the authorized persons can operate the system. Based
on the clarity of the authentication process, the login screen
has a basic interface as simple as shown in Figure 2.
6.2. Patient Personal Information
This module is used to retrieve the personal information
that is used in the time of emergency. Personal details
contain information regarding the person’s name, age etc. It
also contains the app that is designed to help the patient in
case of emergency. The personal information can only be
updated by the patient.
6.3. Medication and Dosages
Depicts the logical process of RFID adoption in healthcare
[1]. Doctor can add prescription details which can be viewed
by the patient. To better understand how RFID can help
improve healthcare practices, identify the existing problems
and challenges faced by this industry.

Figure 2. Login Page

Figure 3. Modular Design

 American Journal of Intelligent Systems 2017, 7(3): 100-103 103

7. Modular Design records from other health care providers databases through
internet. Also developing the functionalities for accessing
Health Monitoring using RFID is the main module. There and updating patient records remotely by medical
are three sub-modules, namely: professionals or consultant using devices such as smart
• Admin phones. We can add the emergency contacts of a particular
• Doctor patient.
• Patient

8. Hardware Requirements
REFERENCES
[1] E-healthcare: an analysis of key themes in research by
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Avinandan Mukherjee, John McGinnis –International Journal
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Operating System Windows 2007 and above by Jarrod Williams Florida, A&M University -Department of
Computer and Information Sciences.
Hard Disk 80GB and above
[3] “Reliable and Low Cost RFID Based Authentication System
for Large Scale Deployment”, “International Journal of
Network Security, Vol.14, No.3, PP. 173-179, May 2012”.
9. Conclusions and Future Work
[4] “RFID enabled smartcards as a context-aware personal health
Using Health Monitoring System, health care providers node”, ”Health Care and Informatics Review Online, 2010,
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allergies, drugs), prevent/reduce medical errors, in-creases Smart Cards”, “Proceedings of the World Congress on
efficiency and productivity, and cost savings through Engineering 2008 Vol II WCE 2008, July 2 - 4, 2008, London,
wireless communication. The RFID technology has tangible U.K.”.
benefits such as reduced cost and time, reduced human [6] “Medical Smart Card System for Patient Record
resources and improve productivity. Management”, Bears Breaking Boundaries 2009 Science,
In the future version of health monitoring using RFID, we Technology, and Energy Policy White Paper Competition”.
will explore the functionality to access patient's medical